Finding A Family
by Dark Calamity of Princess
Summary: Danny Fenton has grown into a strong nineteen year-old half ghost, however so has the strain and distance between him and his two best friends. His cloned counterpart, Dani, is not much better off as she survives alone and homeless. But their lives may change for the better when Dani seeks the father she never had in the form of the older half-ghost. No-PP, mention DxS, RnR Please!
1. Chapter 1

**This**** is my first time ****writing a**** Danny Phantom fanfiction. I love ****the idea**** about Danny ****becoming**** Dani's father and how being ****a**** hero burdened Danny, so I decided to combine those two ****ideas****. This story takes place when Danny ****is****nineteen**** years old and Phantom Planet never happened, so I guess this story would be AU. And Danny's character has changed much, so maybe he will be OOC.**

**This fanfic is ****mostly ****drama with a little bit ****of**** action. I decided not to add romance, ****since it is already covered by the first concept of**** how Danny will be Dani's father (DannyxSam story is interesting, it will take over if I write about them to much).**

**Just enjoy it**

**Credit for Fallenwolfe for beta-read this fanfic.**

**Warning: OOC, AU, Danny/Dani father/daughter relationship**

**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom isn't mine, seriously**

**FINDING A FAMILY**

**Chapter 1**

Life wasn't fair.

That was a fact, everyone whom has had a taste of life in this world would agree. Life wasn't fair, like it or not, you have to accept that fact.

It was that fact that always lingered particularly in the hybrid ghost's mind who was resting in Amity Park.

His name was Danny Fenton, also known by his alias as Danny Phantom during his ghost form. He was flying, literally, in his ghost form through the night. If anyone took a closer look, his flying was a bit unbalanced, he kept swaying here and there. His body was covered with bruises and ectoplasma, his white hair was messy and there were bags under his eyes.

He was tired and beaten up.

That was nothing new really, after years of hunting ghosts everyday withouta break, a night like this was normal for Danny. Ghosts always came and came again into Amity Park, he would fight them again and again. It was an old pattern. Although he became stronger so too did his enemies.

He had just returned from Fenton Work after flushing Skulker back into Ghost Zone for the hundredth time in his life. That annoying frog ghost always came to him with new weapon, new problem and new plan. Each time, Danny got his ass beaten up, then he always managed to rise up and beat back Skulker.

It also mean that Danny came home with new injuries. And he just remembered that he ran outof his bandages yesterday and forgot to buy new ones.

He should have turned to his best friends' house, since they had a first aid kit hidden in their rooms but of course, the one who used it the most was Danny.

However, he didn't turn to them for help instead he just flew to his home.

He could bandage his wounds tomorrow, he had dealt worse than this.

Something that had changed in Danny's life was his entrance into college. He should have thanked Jazz a thousand times for being able to tutor him enough to get into college with a decent grade. He had also moved into his own apartment. Not to mention that his parents had known about his identity. How did they know? It was kind of a long story, but either way he was glad that he didn't need to come with lame excuses for them everyday.

When he got home he just passed through the wall, being half ghost meant that you didn't really need a key to open or lock the door, he just passed through the wall everyday. The only time he used his key was when he was with his friends, but usually he just left his apartment locked.

After turning tangible he let himself fall to the bed, and then turned back into his human self. He just wanted to close his eyes then and there, ignoring all his injuries, chores, meals and homework... but of course, remember, life wasn't fair so he decided to get up, even though his body protested from being tired and in pain.

Sam would have kicked his ass tomorrow if she knew that he left his wounds without proper treatment like this. And he would screw up if he didn't do his papers tonight. Plus he needed to eat as well, his stomach rumbled softly since he hadn't had dinner.

He ruffled his hair, a bit frustrated, then went to his bathroom to get the first aid kit. Well, he should have washed too, he smelled like a locker full filled with unwashed socks. Too tired to properly bathe, he just washed his body and tended his wounds without glancing at his mirror, which sat innocently on the wall. He wouldn't so much as glance in its direction. He was good at avoiding it everytime he went into the bathroom, but unfortunately, of course, he caught a glance when he was done with his wounds.

Those dull eyes.

He turned quickly, not wanting to stare into the mirror too long. He would see his reflection and he didn't like that.

Since when? He didn't remember.

But he had started to hate his eyes, years ago. His eyes were weird. Not the color, not the shape.

But...

Oh well, it didn't matter. He could still look into the mirror, he didn't have a phobia of it, he just wanted to avoid it if he was able to.

He walked out of his bathroom then took fresh clothes from his drawer. He looked to the desk where his homework was waiting for him. Except for the parts Tucker had completed the homework was blank, he didn't have enough energy to finish it.

He took a cereal box from the cupboard and ate it without milk then dumped the empty box after he finished it.

Then he threw himself onto the bed, he would be screwed tomorrow for not doing his homework. Tucker and Sam couldn't do it since they weren't in same study. Okay, they could help him to some extent but...

Danny just closed his eyes and prayed that every ghost in this world would spare him just a few hours tonight.

But when icy breath came out from Danny's mouth, he just snorted and got up again.

Remember, life wasn't fair.

IoI

Life was never fair.

It was a ridculous fact that had slapped the face of every living thing in the world, even the ones who had died.

Dani just looked to the night sky, thinking about that fact, how life wasn't fair.

She should be used to that, really. Her life had never been fair with her since she opened her eyes. She was just a clone, the one whom she once called Dad was an evil man who just used her, she had no home, no family, no food...

Her stomach growled deeply, she should eat but she was tired. She had had to run from the police and bad men in dark alley earlier today. Why won't they leave her alone? If not police then bad people, if not bad people then ghosts, if not ghosts then...

She sighed and just curled up on the roof of an old building. Strangers wondered as to why she slept on the roof? The answer was simple, she loved to watch the night sky when it filled with stars. Although today, the sky was cloudy, so only a few stars sparkled up there.

It was the only comfort she had. Stars.

She had nothing, since she was just a clone, heck, she was even a mistake.

Dani sighed and closed her eyes. She was hungry and tired, but rest came first. She just always felt how unfair life was to her, everyday.

Why couldn't she be normal like other kids? Why was she a clone?

She didn't mind being a half ghost but, she was getting tired of a life like this.

She opened her eyes a little, she had another choice, but no matter how much she wanted to take that, she couldn't.

A boy which had similar features appeared inside her mind, she tried to dissmised it but it stayed there and haunted her everynight.

No way, she won't go to him. She was a clone, though he always said otherwise but he had enough burden without her. She might be young but she could see how worn out he was every time she met him. She could handle this, she was strong, she could live by her own.

"Danny...," she mumbled softly before going to sleep.

IoI

"Danny, are you okay?"

Danny looked up and saw his girlfriend staring at him. He could tell from the way she looked at him, that frown, those eyes. She was woried, he saw it everyday, he could even tell she was worried just from hearing her voice.

"I'm okay," he said with half smile. It was a white lie, he was screwed up today. He was late because of the ghost attack, he didn't do his homework, he slept during the lecture then he dissapeard from the middle of class because of more ghost attacks and other unfortunate events that had become a routine in Danny's life.

"Serious dude, you look like you're thirty and have grey hair already," said Tucker, half jokingly. He got kicked by Sam under table while Danny just rolled his eyes.

"I'm just tired," he said, not really lying.

Years ago, Sam would punch or kick some sense into her boyfriend, but now, she just closed her mouth. She eyed Danny worryly. Then, she just sighed.

Lies, Danny always lied. Mostly he told white lies, not bad intention lies, just white lies. She was frustated but as her eyes fell upon Danny, she knew she couldn't say anything. Even if she scolded him, kicked him, punched him, it would add him more stress.

"How about we patrol togeher tonight, dude? I don't have any homework tomorrow," Tucker said, tried to enlighten mood.

"No, I'm okay, you get to turn paper next week. And you too Sam, I can patrol alone tonight," Danny had stopped Sam's words even before she opened her mouth.

Both of his friends looked at Danny, then each other, then sighed. It had happen too many times so they knew what would happen if they pressed further.

"Okay then, do you want to go to New Planetarium this weekend?" Sam asked. It got Danny's attention, he looked a bit baffled.

"New Planetarium?" he asked back.

"Yeah dude, it's still brand new, I'm shocked you haven't heard about this, seeing as how you love star gazing so much," Tucker said, half chuckling.

Sam kicked Tucker's leg so hard that the techno-geek screamed in pain when Danny's eyes turned dark, a sign that Danny had sad thoughts about that idea.

Star gazing, huh?

He half smiled to himself. Ironic, he almost forgot about that.

"Okay, I'm free this weekend," he said, surprising his two friends or... his friend and girlfriend.

"That's good then," said Sam with a wide smile. Danny half winced at that, yeah , she talked how he had become a great boyfriend, he tought sarcassamly.

He turned to the window and hoped that this weekend there weren't ghost disturbing them, but he knew it was useless. He closed his eyes and pushed aside his tiredness to hear what his friend and girlfriend talked about now.

IoI

Dani ate what food she had in her little hands quickly. She stole again and felt ashamed about it. But then again, she had no choice. She had no money, correction, she hasn't had money since years ago.

She couldn't get her own money, since no one would accept her for work. She had a body likea twelve year old girl, too young to do any work. She was wondering why she couldn't age. Danny was aging, but she was stuck, never growing up. It must have had something to do with her being a cloned mistake.

She sighed once she had finished the food, then she glanced to sky. Now that she was full, maybe she could go to the park to play around or something.

She was friends with the children around this place to some point. But, just to play, never more. She was hunted by police and ghosts after all.

By the time she reached the park, she saw how many families were gathered there. Today was a weekend and it was sunny, of course the park would be crowded. She glanced at the families who were having barbeques, then at the children who were playing around with their parents.

She frowned then turned around, feeling she did not belong in this kind of place.

She could have left there but she knew most adults would ask "where are your parents?". Then she would have to lie or they would call the police. She was tired of lying and being chased by the police.

She glanced to the sky, wondering what Danny was doing now.

Did he ever think about her? Did he care about her?

She just pushed that thought aside, Danny must be hanging out with his friends now...

Or chasing ghosts. He had his hand full already.

IoI

Danny sighed, really, sometimes he felt he was thirty. He was tired, both in body and mind. He looked down to see the Phantom Thermos. He had just caught Technos, really a way to ruin his weekend. He didn't even have a chance to go into the planetarium before his ghost sense went off.

He could have gone back but the day had turned into night. The planetarium should be closed, Tucker and Sam should have already went home.

They could have chased Technos together with Danny but...

The half ghost turned to sky, to see a dark sky which was only lighted by a few dim stars.

When had his life turned into this? He asked himself.

Back then, he still could be having fun with his two friends and his sister ghost hunting.

But...

He couldn't go back to that time.

It was the truth.

And with that, he called it a day then went back to his home.

IoI

"We should do something."

"I know Sam, but how?" asked Tucker frustated. He half screamed into the phone, it was a while before Sam replied back.

"He's burdened Tuck, Danny has gone too far, just wait a little more and his mind will snap," said Sam desperately.

"I want to help too, but... it's hard Sam, Danny is... not the same anymore. He's... too distant, he has shut himself off, he never tells us anything or lets us do anything," Tucker replied back.

"Sometimes I wish he was a normal boy, I mean, man, again. It crushes me to see him in pain everyday, this 'hero thing' has worn out the very life of him," said Sam, she bit her mouth.

"I know, but we both know that he has gone too far, Sam. He can't go back," Tucker said.

Sam sighed. "I know, and we can always just stay at his side," she replied back. She sighed then glanced to the sky outside of the window where there were a few star blinking. As Danny's girlfriend, she felt useless. She hung up the phone and felt a sadness clouding her heart. She used to be strong and tough for Danny, the one who kept reminding him that he was a hero. Now, somehow, she felt a bit guilty for that.

She walked to her drawer, looking at a photo frame which sat beside her bed. There was a photo of when she, Danny and Tucker where in high school, when they were younger, when they still held so much innocence. When they thought they could do everything.

When she believed Danny was strong enough to do anything.

She closed her eyes, she was naive back then. Since Danny got that accident in his parent's lab, he was never the same again. She was sure she always saw and noticed everything about him, every pain, every change. But no, she was wrong.

Since that day, Danny had been out of her and Tucker's reach.

Every little secret that Danny hid from her and Tucker, somehow it piled up so much that she hardly knew anything about Danny.

Even though Danny had clearly declared that he loved her and she loved him back, that they were officially dating now, Danny was hardly a boyfriend to her .

The reason why she stayed as his girlfriend was because she didn't want to hurt Danny more. She loved him, but... for now, it was hard for Danny to love her back.

He still loved her, she was sure. But, it was dim. It was overlooked by something much bigger.

His burden as a hero.

She just let herself fall to the bed, she thought she understood him more than anyone.

But, she hardly understood anything, not his pain, not his burden.

No one knew except Danny himself.

She just hoped one thing, she didn't even ask Danny to be a good boyfriend,

She just wanted those dull eyes to have more spark, like he used to have in the past.

**To Be Continued**

**How is it? Bad? Too angst? Too OOC? **

**I guess I hardly explain anything in this chapter, how Danny had changed so much? Even Sam and Tucker had changed too. You will get the answer, not soon but it will be explained bit by bit later.**

**Now, review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the review before, now enjoy the next chapter please. Yeah, I admit this story is too angst, but it will be better and explained bit by bit. There are reason why Danny ****changed**** so much. And at least, in this chapter you will understand why Dani couldn't age.**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The one who understands you is yourself. Well, that rule somehow didn't apply to Dani, because she hardly understood herself, not even Vlad who 'made' her could understand. How was she stabilized and so different from Danny himself? She was suspossed to be his clone but she had different age and gender.

And right now, she was just horrified to see ectoplasma leaking from her body.

She knew that she had been too hard to her own body recently, she had caught police attention and ghosts had been chasing her too, so she kept using her power almost without rest. But still, she didn't expect it to happen, again.

Danny had stabilized her long ago, something that she had appreciated so much. She wouldn't be able to repay him enough for granting her a second chance to taste what life was like.

But, she was unstable again now. The girl halfa wanted to slap herself, she should have noticed this sooner. All the fatigue and lack of power must have been signs that she was starting to become unstable again.

She must search for Danny now! She was ashamed of herself that she just went to him when she needed him, but she had her own reason really.

She flew fast, hoping that she still had time to meet Danny.

IoI

"Sorry, Sam."

"It's okay Danny, really, you have apologized enough."

Danny just shut his mouth, she was sure more forgiving than when they were in high school. But, he still felt bad. He had slept in, realy slept like he was hibernating in winter. He had gone to sleep at 5 am then when he woke up it was 1 pm.

Sleepless nights had taken their toll from his body. Even though he needed less sleep than normal humans, but he was constantly injured and drained. Once he found time to rest, his body would shut down like an overheated computer that had crashed.

"I'm okay, you should rest more," Sam said. He gripped his cellphone tighter, she sounded like Jazz. But, everyone sounded like Jazz right now. Even his father, even Tucker.

He was suspossed to go to watch a movie with Sam a few hours ago, since today was Sunday. But, no, he was screwed up, he slept in. Nice.

"How about we go to the arcade or somewhere?" he asked to her.

It must be his 'hero-complex' kicking in, Danny thought. He felt bad, he really felt bad. He broke his promise to Sam, just going to watch a movie, it was simple and he always let her down, countless times. It was a wonder why Sam still wanted to be his girlfriend.

He should thank God that he had such an understanding girlfriend.

"No Danny, it is okay really. Even after you slept, you sounded tired, really. You should rest more, and eat properly," she added.

That was right, he still felt tired. Not his body, but his mind. Pushing himself to go somewhere even with Sam, it would add more stress to him. He needed to lie and force himself to smile...

He was screwed up... he thought to himself.

"Sorry," he said it again without noticing. He felt Sam was rolling her eyes right now.

"I will cut you bald if you apologizing to me again today," she said. It was her joke, even though it wasn't hard to see Sam cut his hair bald, she was a bit mean sometimes, but he knew she won't.

Maybe.

"Okay," he said.

"See you on Monday, don't forget your homework," she reminded.

"I know, thanks, see you," and he hung up the phone.

He threw himself into the chair, feeling less tired. At least he had apologized to Sam and she was okay. Then he glanced to his homework and tasks.

But, his stomach started growling. He had missed breakfast after all and now it was time for lunch. Danny knew that there was nothing left in the cupboard or refrigerator so he must buy or order something.

He looked to the gray sky outside, it might be rain but...

A little walk out would be fine, he needed fresh air.

IoI

Danny bit into his burger and savored every second that he didn't need to fight ghosts. He chose to eat at the park and on this cloudy day, the place was almost deserted. He almost could sniff wet soil, it might start raining very soon. But he didn't mind, he liked quiet places like this so he continued to eat silently.

A wave of uneasy feelings suddenly warned his 'hero complex alarm' though. It was ringing in his head, warning him that something wrong happened.

His ghost sense hadn't gone off though, it wasn't about ghosts? Or his friend or family got attacked?

He checked his watch, Danny Smartwatch, Tucker had named it lamely.

Danny, yes, the one who it was made for, there is a bit of a long story for that.

He pushed a button then saw every dot on the screen to his friends, girlfriend, and family, which referred to different people's health by color. His family, friends and girlfriend were green. It mean they were safe. It would be red if they were injured or in contact with ectoplasma.

Not that Danny could rely on this smartwatch everytime, but it was better than nothing.

Maybe they got attacked by humans? No, with the equipment that they have under their sleeves, even police couldn't capture them. They could defend themselves from humans, but from ghosts was another story. But since they weren't in contact with ectoplasma it mean they weren't attacked by ghosts.

Danny sighed, maybe he was just too tired and paranoid.

He bit into his burger again just to groan when the 'alarm' in his head didn't stop spinning. It kept telling him something was wrong, really wrong. A really bad one.

Then maybe, it wasn't his family. The one who didn't wear this smartwatch...

Valerie...? No, she wore it too, even though she kept reminding him that she was strong enough to take care of herself. A good thing that she also had known his identity, almost burning him alive in the process though.

Then who...? His other friend... No, his alarm just went off when someone who was close to him was in danger. Or something bad in town happened. But, everything looked fine, save a grey cloud since it would rain. If something happened in Ghost Zone, some ghost would have told him like Dora or Clockwork.

Then... the one who close to him but wasn't wearing this smartwatch?

Who...?

He shot up as quickly as if he had just been splashed in the face with a bucket of ice water.

Dani!

IoI

Dani groaned in pain, how misfortunate she was. On the way to go to Danny, she got attacked by Box Ghost. He wasn't a real danger really, but she was on the verge of melting, ectoplasm kept leaking from her body and she couldn't stop it. And the Box Ghost refused to leave her alone, he kept throwing boxes at her and eventually one of the big boxes hit her.

"Beware of my power!"

She just wanted him to leave her alone, she even wanted to cry herself in embarrassment that she couldn't even kick this annoying ghost.

"Just go away!" she was nearly begging, she could feel herself weaken. Power was slipping out from her body bit by bit, she couldn't hold her ghost form much longer.

"No! I don't need to listen to you-"

"But, you may need to listen to me."

The Box Ghostwas stunned for a moment, then turned to see who was behind him.

Danny Phantom.

"BEWARE!-"

Danny didn't even bother to wait for the box ghost to finish speaking before he sucked the ghost into the Fenton Thermos. Danny just wondered why this ghost could escape to human realm so easily almost everyday?

Then he turned to Dani, but before he could even open his mouth, Dani suddenly fell and she changed into her human form. Luckly, Danny had speed, when he wanted he could battle at a jet plane speed but rarely did since it took so much energy. He caught her before Dani hit ground then frowned, seeing the girl unconcious.

"Dani, Dani, wake up!" he shook her body but no response. What was wrong with her? She couldn't be wounded badly by Box Ghost. But, Danny's eyes widened when something dripped to the ground and felt the wetness in his hands.

Ectoplasm and blood.

IoI

It was his fault. It was his fault. It was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his was his fault.

Okay, he needed to stop. Sam would have slapped his head and told him that it wasn't his fault.

But then he glanced to Dani who was ina tube with a hospital gown and a mask covering her mouth and nose and her eyes were closed.

It was his fault. Really, It was his fault.

No, stop that. Thanks to his hero-complex, if anything were to have gone wrong, Danny would always blame himself.

It was his fault.

Danny just groaned.

"The Great One, may I have your attention?"

Danny snapped up then glanced to the bear like ghost, Frostbite. He stared at him with worried eyes, Danny just shook himself, trying to get a grip.

"Does it mean no?" asked Frostbite.

"No, I mean, no... ergh, you can have my attention. What it is?" asked Danny, feeling confused and worried with Dani's condition. He had flown fast with the little girl in his embrace to Ghost Zone without even saying hi to his parrents. He didn't stop flying until he arrived in Frostbite's place, the only place he could think that maybe could fix Dani's condition.

"Is it true that this girl is your clone?" he asked. Danny nodded, he had explained to Frostbite briefly before the snow ghost took away Dani from Danny's arm.

"Yeah, she was made by Plasimus, why?" he asked back.

Frostbite looked to Dani with serious look, like he was trying to figure something out and by staring at Dani he would get an answer.

"That's weird The Great One, as far as I know, even with the latest human or ghost technology, it is almost impossible to make a clone like this," he explained.

Danny was baffled, really? But, then Dani...

"Let me ask first, what do you know about clonning?" Frostbite asked Danny. The phantom tried to remember how Vlad made a clone in front of his eyes then stopped, no, it was too complicated he didn't understand a thing what that crazy halfa did.

"I just know...clonning is like making a copy of someone's body with the same age and gender," he answered, basicly from something he had watched in movie.

Frostbite just shook his head. "No, it can't be done The Great One. You see, first, not anything even ghost or human can be made a perfect clone. Second, every thing, the dead ones or living ones, needed time to grow. It means, even if Plasimus could make a clone of you, it would be a baby so the clone won't have your age," Frostbite explained. Danny frowned, it sounded too different from what he knew until now.

"But, what I said is applied when you want to make a perfect clone. If you just want to make a mindless body, you can do it, but it wouldn't count as a clone. But what I take from your brief explanation before, Plasimus want to make a perfect clone of you, the one who has gender and your age," Frostbite continue.

"Perfect clone?" Danny asked in murmur, a bit lost of what Frostbite explained to him.

"Yeah, it means, the clone is you. Even has your mind, your personality, your appearance, your abiity, but it won't have your age. Every thing needs to grow, a baby then children, then adult. Even for a ghost, it won't just appear suddenly 100 years old," Frostbite explaned slowly. This time, Danny understood. He nodded and Frostbite was relieved. For a hero who protected both human and ghost realms, Danny wasn't really smart.

"But, a mindless body, you can make an almost perfect copy, but it will be mindless. The copy will be the same only in appearance, it won't grow, it won't have any personality, just like a doll," the snow ghost continued.

"But, Vlad wanted a perfect clone of mine though, the one who has my gender and age," Danny said, remembering what Vlad had done to him, he was glad that it failed.

"Yeah, I think he decided to combine the two, the mindless copy and a clone which could have a mind. It is tricky and no body has succeeded to make one before. Usually the body is unstable and can't hold for long," Frostbite continued.

Danny glanced to Dani, feeling more confused and worried.

"So, I think Plasimus made an experiment. He tried to mix your DNA to get a perfect clone like what he wanted," Frostbite said again, Danny turned to him. He wasn't good in Biology and he had trouble catching every explanation but, he tried to.

" DNA like yours but that can also hold a mindless body and stabilize it, but in the process, he messed up with your chromosome. It was changed, dearranged, and mutated. So, what he got from his experiment is..."

Danny turned to Dani, his clone, though she was a girl and had a body of twelve years old. She hadn't aged a day since Danny met her.

"The Y chromosome dissapear, the X chromosome copied, and other things. So, she is your clone who has your DNA, but mutated so she is different from you. She is not you, she has her own mind, looks similiar to you but she won't be you, never," Frostbite said. Danny nodded, Dani was her own person, he had always believed that.

"But, she has a copied body? She won't age and it is unstable?" He clarified what he had taken from Frostbite's explanation.

"Yeah, she isn't a perfect clone, just like I said. Her body is just a fragile shell and couldn't contain the power of a halfa like you," Frostbite frowned, he felt guilty to see Danny's eyes get darker.

"But, I stabilized her years ago," he almost whined. Frostbite frowned.

"No, Great One, that only stabilized her ectoplasm, not her body. You need to remember that her body is alsopart human, it is falling apart," Frostbite said sadly.

"C-Can you fix her?" he asked, shuddering. He was afraid, afraid that he would lose Dani. True, he wasn't spending much time with her, he hardly knew her. But, at least, he knew she was alive somewhere and if something went wrong she would go to him. It was enough for him like that, he was happy that she could live and be her own person.

But, if she died?

Danny didn't want to remember the agony when he had thought that he failed her. When he believed that she was gone. He was so relieved that she was okay, that her body had stabilized again but...

Frostbitewas almost stunned to see how those green eyes got darker and darker every second. It seemed impossible but those eyes which looked dull already now became more lifeless, like dead fish's eyes.

"Great One, get a grip," he put his two hands in front of Danny's eyes.

Danny snapped, and it stopped. Frostbitewas relieved. The last thing he wanted wasfor Danny to fall into despair.

"I can't promise you anything, but I will do my best," he said. No, he wasn't even sure for himself, Frostbite thought sadly. He had never met something like this, he could take care of a halfa, but a complicated clone like this? He wasn't sure.

Danny looked sad, but at least he didn't look like he was ready to give in to despair very soon.

"You should see the result in a few days, give me time," Frostbite said, a bit guilty that he couldn't afford more. Danny nodded, a forced smiled covered his lips.

"Thanks for helping," he said, but Frostbite couldn't be fooled with that half smile. But he didn't say anything about that, it had been going on for awhile and he was used to it.

"Your very welcome."

IoI

Danny sank himself in his bed, something that he had always done everyday and everytime he felt miserable. He wanted to cry somehow, but his eyes were dry. He felt helpless with Dani's situation and all he could do was just wait.

With such an unstable body, why did he even let Dani travel around the world alone? Sure, everytime Dani visited him with troubles, he asked her if she wanted to live with his parents. They like her after all, said that Dani was like his sister. They even could adopt her. But, she always refused stubbornly.

Then, he just stupidly thought that she liked being free. Maybe she just wanted to be alone.

Was he an idiot?

She has his personality, even though not entirely the same but she has a similiar way of thinking as Danny.

She must have not wanted to be a burden, maybe she thought that she didn't deserve that.

Wasn't he doing the same thing as her all this time? Keep pushing everyone away?

Danny just groaned, she was like him. It was almost painful to think that. At least, he was a wimp, a coward who couldn't push everyone from his life completely, he just pushed them enough to gain a safe distance while torturing them with worry while she chose to be alone, keep running from Vlad.

Danny didn't know which one of them were better, him or Dani?

He hoped Dani would be okay. It was his fault, he was so dense and had let Dani suffer. Even without her ecptoplasm leaking from her body, she was extremely light and she looked so thin.

She must had some rough years in her life.

Danny slammed his head to his pillow a few time.

He was an idiot. It was his fault. He was an idiot. It was his fault.

He hoped Dani would be okay. Really, he would do anything. Even if he needed to beg Vlad to make Dani good again, he would do it. That litte innocent girl shouldn't be dead. No... he wouldn't let it happen.

Evenif it mean he needed to give half of his life span, half of his power even his happiness, he would give it for Dani.

He just wanted Dani to be okay, that is all.

**To Be Continued**

* * *

**Many theories around Danny fandom speculated that Dani is female because half of her DNA is from a woman (in this case, many choose Sam as her 'mother') but I decide****d**** to choose **** the ****other theory about ****messed up**** DNA. She is Danny's clone after all, it makes more sense to me but no offense to DannyxSam fans, I love them too and appreciate the other theory. I chose the mutated DNA theory because I really want to focus about Danny and Dani relationship, well Sam will help Danny babysit Dani after everything ****is**** okay. But for now, let's stick for these two halfa.**

**Oh yeah, about Frostbite's explaination, I learn****ed**** that from my teacher about ****cloning**** technology several years ago. The part about every live being needs time to grow up is right. Though Danny Phantom is a bit of science fiction, but I think it is okay to put that theory to this fanfic (I have**** a**** hard time ****understanding**** why Dany is twelve years old **** and ****why she could melt when she also ****had a**** human body, human****s**** don't just melt but well... it is cartoon after all, sometimes it doesn't make sense).**

**And about 'copied and mindless body', I picked that theory from CLAMP's manga, if you know, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles or Cardcaptor Sakura, where wizards can make a 'hand-made body'. Though, in CLAMP universe, they can make 'hand-made but not mindless body'.**

**So, what will happen to Dani? To be honest, I'm not that cruel but it doesn't mean I can't add some twist. **

**Review please! Review makes me better!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for your reviews. And I want to ask something... is my fanfic bad? Because the amount of reviews decreased at chapter 2, it makes me think that maybe I ****made a**** bad fanfic. Not that I'm greedy for reviews, but it will be good if someone can share their thoughts about my fanfic. **

**I know the story is going slow. Sorry, that's just how I write I guess. And Danny and Dani are a bit complicated, they haven't thought ****about ****their relationship as father and daughter. I think something like that needs time. **

**Oh yeah, I also ****made**** some ****drawings**** for this fanfic, not that I'm good at drawing, I can't draw cartoon, I can draw manga... you can see it at my tumblr seidooreiki. Tumblr. Com (erase the space). Sometimes I have ****also thought about making an**** illustration for each chapter like**** a**** light novel but... well... just share your thoughts, if I get enough support, I will do it **

**Enjoy this chapter**

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**Chapter 3**

There were many kind of lies, but the white lies were the most troublesome. At least, in Tucker's opinion. Since Danny always had white lies covering all his words.

He looked at Danny and held himself from cringing at seeing his friend's condition in the cantine during lunch time. Had his mind snapped already? No, it seemed not. He was still eating, a good sign but those dark and cloudy eyes were worse than the dull eyes that had replaced the innocent and sparklying eyes years ago.

Danny looked like a mess, his hair was messier than usual, there were bags under his eyes and he slumpped on his chair. He just bit his food once in awhile and used his spoon to play with it the rest of the time.

"Are you okay, dude?"

That standard question couldn't be stopped, it was a routine. Everyone who was close to Danny would ask him that everytime they met him.

He looked like a worn out man who kept carrying a burden that was too heavy on his shoulders. Well, that was the truth, literally.

But now he looked like Sam had broken up with him. Wait, had they?!

"Dude, don't tell me Sam broken up with you," said Tucker in disbelief. Danny snapped, seemed surprised with Tucker's words.

"She wants to break up with me?" he asked back in fear.

Oh great, it was good that Sam wasn't here or she would have broken Tucker's neck right now.

"No, Danny. Calm down, I just asked. You looked like a wreck so I thought Sam left you. If I'm wrong then what happened?" Tucker asked carefully. Danny's mind wasn't entirely here so he needed to be extra careful, man, if he snapped Danny's mind, Sam would send him to hell right away.

"Ah... well, I don't know where to start," he said. Tucker almost jumped in happiness, for once, Danny showed sign that he wanted to share stories with him, not just lie. It had been too long!

Danny just frowned when Tucker kissed his PDA, Susan, in happiness.

"I'm not going anywhere, I will listen," he said. Danny sighed then looked around. He searchedfor Sam.

"Or do you want Sam to hear it too?" Tucker asked. Danny nodded then looked unsure.

"Yeah...uhm... maybe not, no, I guess it isn't really important, I mean..."

Tucker wanted to slap himself, just after Danny shown sign he wanted to tell something, finally, now he retreated back? No, Tucker Folley wouldn't let that happen.

"Danny, I know you must be sick to hear it thousand times, but you can tell me and Sam anything, we have your back, dude," said Tucker, he placed his hand onto Danny's shoulder.

Danny just got silent then sighed, a half smile formed. "I guess, yeah, maybe I will need your help for this too," he said.

Yeah, Tucker scored a goal! Sam had to repay this victory for him. Danny, who had once not told him and Sam that he had broken ribs, who had shut himself too far from his friend's and family's reach, finally opened his door to tell him and Sam something.

It had been awhile, really.

"How about we meet at Nasty Burger this evening?" Tucker tried his luck, maybe they could hang out like in the past. Sure it was a branch of Nasty Burger near their campus, but it wouldn't be so different.

"No, I think we can talk in my apartement, you can bring some stuff from Nasty Burger's though," Danny replied, a little smile on his corner lips.

Tucker had to stop himself from jumping right away, like when he just had his first date. Sam would be very happy to hear this too, Tucker didn't care that maybe what Danny would tell him and Sam was a bad news, but at least Danny wanted to share and needed their help. That one was the most important.

IoI

"What a cramped house, you are literally living in a closet."

Sam punched Tucker's shoulder, but was relieved that Danny didn't care about Tucker's comment. Probably because Tucker had said same things every time he came to Danny's apartment.

It was small, Sam knew that too. It only had one room, a bathroom and a little kitchen at the corner. The room was packed with a bed, a little book self, a desk, a drawer, a computer, a television and a box of Danny's 'job'. It was cramped, but Danny looked comfortable so she wouldn't complain.

Danny sat at his chair, turned it around to face the bed. With no couch at his apartment, Sam and Tucker sat at the edge of Danny's bed.

"Here! I brought cheese burgers for you and tofu burgers for Sam," said Tucker happily as he pulled out the food from his bag. Sam accepted her food, while Danny just got it then left it at his desk, not having enough appetite to eat it.

"So, what's up Danny? You said you want to talk with us," said Sam, choosing her words carefully.

Danny looked lost in thought before answered. "I met Dani no... rescued Dani yesterday," he started.

"What? Your cousin?" asked Tucker, a half eaten burger at his hand.

"Yeah, she was in terrible condition, looked like she was unstable. So, I brought her to Frostbite, he said that her body is unstable and it is falling apart," Danny decided to skip all those confusing explanation.

"Falling apart?" asked Sam terrified. Half of her started to understand why Danny decided to tell them this, it was a big news, something really bad for Danny. Not even an ancient fearsome ghost was a new thing for Danny, what the hero feared most was losing his precious people.

"Can Frostbite treat her?" Tucker asked. Now he understood why Danny didn't eat his burger, why his best friend looked like a wreck.

"I don't know, he wasn't sure. I hope he can do something for Dani," Danny said. Sam and Tucker looked to each other. Danny wasn't sharing too much with them, but the sadness on his expression was enough to tell them how Danny's condition was right now. He must be worried about Dani badly,

"She is so young... so innocent...," he mumbled softly under his breath, it must be for himself but Sam heard it.

Sam and Tucker weren't that close to Dani, they only met her a few times briefly. But, she was sure that even Danny himself was not so close to Dani, she was exactly like a cousin to him. Related but not too close.

But, from the look of his eyes, from how he even forced himself to tell this to his friends after he decided to keep everything by himself, Dani must be precious. Maybe it was partly because Danny's damn hero-complex, but it was more. Dani mean something more for Danny, much more.

"Oh come on, Danny. Be positive, I believe Frostbite can fix her," Tucker said cheerfully. Danny just smiled, not sirence but thankful for the concern.

"Yeah Danny, I think maybe you can focus yourself to other things," Sam said.

"Do you mean his lonely girlfriend?" asked Tucker, who received a hard smack from Sam. Danny just looked a bit sad, he must be feeling guilty because he couldn't be a good boyfriend.

"No silly, I mean, what would you do when Dani gets good again, Danny?" Sam asked her boyfriend.

Danny was a bit stunned, he hadn't thought about that before, he was worried about Dani's condition so much that he forgot about that part.

For sure he couldn't let Dani live alone anymore, no way.

But then...

"Your parents were always ready to adopt her right? What is the problem?" asked Tucker, not understanding what Sam meant.

"No, Tucker. Dani has clearly refused that. I think she must be have her own reasons," said Sam, rolling her eyes. For a techno-geek, sometimes Tucker wasn't really briliant.

"Maybe she doesn't like Danny's parents," he assumed.

Danny just shook his head. "She liked them, but I think she just doesn't want to live with them. And, I think it won't be too good either," he said, half unsure.

"Why?" asked Sam.

Danny stared at his girlfriend then frowned and his mouth kept closed. She sighed, it was a sign that Danny won't tell them more than this. Tucker looked disspointed too, after so long they only gained this much...

But it was enough, Sam told herself. She shouldn't be greedy, Danny would run away if they kept pushing him. They should do it step by step.

Then, something lightened in Sam's head. An idea.

She looked at Danny, she wasn't really sure about this idea. It would be a gamble really, but it was worth a shot.

"How about she live with you?" Sam asked.

It has been so long since she saw Danny really surprised. Having too many things messed up in his life, Danny had expected even the unexpected, so it was a bit rare to him really shocked like this. His eyes were wide and his mouth agape.

She was surprised when she turned to see Tucker with the very same reaction.

"In this cramped house?" asked Tucker in disbelief. And silently, she heard 'and with Danny's hands already full with fighting ghost and college?'

Danny must have thought the same thing, he looked afraid, frantic and confused.

"Guys, hear my explanation first. I think it is better Dani live with you Danny. She is closer to you, you understand her the most. It is true that your parents aren't bad at handling child but it is different. She already has a messed life, so I think she deserve better life, better home," she explained.

Danny looked like he was ready to protest, Tucker looked at Sam like she had grown two heads in past seconds.

But, Danny closed his mouth, he probably couldn't protest since what Sam said was true.

"And if you think it is dangerous, Dani is halfa too. She can fight, Danny," she added, Danny frowned at her but didn't said a word.

Tucker still looked in doubt with her idea, but decided to play along with it.

"Yeah dude, we can help you with your study too, don't worry," he said, Sam gave Tucker a smile.

Sam looked at her boyfriend, sure he had changed but several things were still same. And it meant his hero complex was always there, and if it wasn't changed then it was getting worse, Sam knew it was a bit dirty but just one push and she would win this.

"After letting her live alone so long, she has suffered so much. At least you owe it to her," Sam said, she had to stop herself from wincing.

Low shot, but it worked for someone who had chronic hero complex like Danny.

Bull's eyes, she almost regreted saying that when she saw Danny's eyes filled with guilt and sadness. He looked aside, lost in thought.

Then he closed his eyes and turned to see her.

Those dull eyes stared at her, half pleading with that 'no don't do this to me'look, Sam just held it and stared back.

Then he sighed and she won.

"Okay, I will... try that," he said.

Sam was happy, now she understood what Tucker meant when he wanted to dance upon hearing that Danny wanted to share something with them. She finally won this, now she hoped that she would win this gamble.

IoI

"Explain it Samantha, what do you mean by that?"

"No one calls me that name, Tucker!" she snarled at him but then smiled. They were on their way back from Danny's apartment.

"It is a gamble," she said with a smile covering her lips.

"Gamble?" he asked back, he felt sorry to see Danny guilty and all. But, since it was Sam, she must have had good reason for doing that.

"Danny won't let anyone get close to him anymore. But, didn't you see that Tuck? He really cares for Dani. With this, we give Dani a chance to pass through Danny's solitude wall," said Sam. She was a bit sad, but she knew she couldn't get closer to Danny more than this now.

"So, she can 'fix' Danny?" asked Tucker, Sam nodded.

"It is a gamble though," she said. Tucker nodded this time. Dani wasn't in good condition too, what Sam had heard, Dani spent years in running away alone. Her mind probably wasn't better than Danny's, maybe she would make Danny stress more but...

If Sam's feeling were true, maybe they could fix each other.

"One thing I don't understand, what makes Dani so special for Danny?" asked Tucker in wonder. Sam just raised her shoulders.

"Only Danny knows the answer."

IoI

When a ghost came to Danny's apartment while the halfa was doing his part time job, his heart was beating so fast that he had troubled to calm himself down. Frostbite finally called him to tell him about Dani's condition.

He flew into Ghost Zone, once again, feeling guilty for not paying a visit to his parents. He just went invisible while passing them while they were busy experimenting in their lab. He just didn't have time to talk with them and he was hardly calm, let alone explaining all these confusing things to them.

Once he arrived in Frostbite's place, the ghost just frowned at him.

"Calm down, Great One," the first thing he said upon meet the Ghost Zone saviour. Danny just tried to calm down, breath in, breath out, no matter how ridiculous it sounded because as a ghost he didn't need to breath.

Seeing that Danny had calmed down a little, Frostbite showed him a way to meet Dani. They were both silent, a part of Danny wanted Frostbite to explain Dani's condition right away, it was tearing him down. But, knowing Frostbite, he must have wanted to explain after Danny had met Dani so the halfa could understand better.

Danny felt relieved to see that Dani wasn't ina tube anymore, she was liying on a bed, covered with a fur blanket. She was in her human form and looked better than the last time Danny had rescued her.

"It was a bit tricky, but I have made Dani's body stable again," Frostbite said, he smiled when Danny just rushed to Dani's side to see her better.

"Thank you so much, Frostbite," he said sirencely.

"I haven't finished explaining, hear me please, you can save your gratitude for later," the snow ghost sternly talked, Danny closed his mouth and nodded.

"I have reasembled Dani's body, so I believe she has a better body than before. For now, her body can age," Frostbite said, Danny's eyes widened.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief, Frostbite nodded.

"Yeah, to be the truth recently there are ways to make a copy body which can age, but no one see it usefull as copied body that didn't contain a mind. So, I try to make a few change in Dani's body. And it works. But still, her body will be different than a normal human, even a halfa like you. She can age but her body will have different reaction towards some diseases and medicines though I haven't research further than this.," Frostbite explained carefully. Danny was having difficult time to understand this, but he just nodded.

"Then, as she grows up, she will meet puberty like any normal human will but... she is infertile," Danny's eyebrows raised at this.

"Infertile?" he asked. Frostbite nodded.

"Her body is a hand made body and can't be compared to a normal human. She has nearly the same organs like you have but she didn't have eggs, you understand female reproduction system, right?" asked Frostbite. Danny nodded, though a little unsure. He wasn't good at Biology, in high school Biology was usually when Danny just lied his head down and snored, thank fully the teacher never minded him as long as he wasn't noisy.

"Her hormones were a bit tricky as well, her growth maybe kind of slow compared to normal kids around her age and I need to make a hormone injection for her later in the future, but I believe she can have as near as normal girl life," the yeti informed Danny.

Hormone injection? That sounded... troublesome but... rather than Dani couldn't age, this was certainly better. Many people had worse than Dani after all, like cancers or other chronic diseases.

"But, remember this one, Great One, this is the most important thing about Dani," Frostbite suddenly raised his voice a bit, making Danny a bit wary.

"It is true she can age now, her body looks better. But, it is still far more fragile than your body. I can't make a body which can hold the strength of halfa, I believe the one made by Plasmus failed. So, I decide to lock her greater power," Frostbite explained. Danny's eyes widened.

"Lock?" he asked.

"She can's access her great power like yours. To be honest she has an ice core, she can do a ghost whail if she trained but no, I locked away most of her powers. She can transform into ghost, she still has ectoblast, intangbility, and the others but it can't be compared to yours, Great One. And, even if she could find a way to unlock her greater power, it will be too dangerous for her body, it would fall apart again and it will be beyond my help if that happens," Frostbite finished talking. Danny was just staring at him, he tried to understand every word of Frostbite explanation.

So, the point was Dani was weaker than Danny and she shouldn't forced herself too much or she would die.

Danny turned to see Dani sleeping peacefully. It had been 3 years, but her body hadn't changed. She still had a child's innocent's face, her body was so small and she looked fragile. In those 3 years, Danny couldn't imagine what Dani had been through, she hardly told him anything about her life. In those 3 years, she had been alone.

He closed his eyes, Sam was right. She deserved a better life, a home and family. And Danny must repay his sin for making Dani suffer through all those years alone.

"I will protect her, I promise. I won't let that happen," he said with serious face. Frostbite smiled at him and nodded.

"She should wake up soon. Do you want to rest while waiting?" asked Frostbite, Danny just shook his head and stayed at his place in Dani's side.

The way Danny cared for Dani was a bit weird but familiar, Frostbite was sure he had seen that kind of love in Danny's eyes somewhere else. But, he didn't say anything, it wasn't his business. So, he left Danny waiting for Dani on her side, with a concerned look on his face.

**To Be Continued**

* * *

**Please review! And share what you think about ****the ****illustration for each chapter for this fanfic, not that I'm really good at drawing, (once more, you can see my drawing at seidooreiki. Tumblr. Com or seidooreiki. Deviantart. Com – erase the space) but I want to try something like this for awhile...**

**Ah, thanks for reminding me about 'infertile' part**

**Review please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Next chapter! Okay, my story is a bit slow. But, I'm a type of writer who can't reveal everything from the first chapter. And with this kind of story, slower pace is nice. We can feel what the characters feels little by little.**

**Well, at least, I can promise that Dani's problem****s**** almost end here. Just a little bit more then we will switch the problem to Danny. And how those two halfas' problem will**** besolved**** at the end.**

**Stay tuned with me! It is not the best story, but at least, I do my best!**

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Chapter 4

Danny gripped Dani's hand carefully while wondering what kind of strange feeling he was harboring for this little girl. He cared for everyone, even he couldn't stop himself to help the ones he hated. But, for Dani, it was more than a mere hero complex, he care for her deeply. It had been like that since the first time he saw her.

She was his clone but he felt more, it was strange, he never felt something like this before. Not like his love for his family, his friend, or his girlfriend. It was similar to the feelings for his family, but it was deeper.

He couldn't help it. She looked so fragile and so innocent. He wanted to proctect her, to make sure that she had a happy life. He wanted to watch her grow into her own person. He wanted to be there when she needed him.

He almost laughed to himself, after all this time he kept pushing everyone away?

Was he ready to take care of Dani? Danny asked himself. He was hardly able to take care of himself. And to let anyone closer to him again... it would be hard. Could he protect Dani while not letting her get too close to him? Danny wondered.

But, the hand that he held moved before he found the answer. His heart almost burst from relief when she slowly opened her eyes.

A pair of blue eyes, like him. But no, it was different. It held pain, but there was innocence and spark, something that he had lost years ago.

Those eyes were more beautiful than his.

"Danny..?" she asked, even her voice was still the same, a child's voice, cute and high pitched.

"Yeah, it is me. Are you okay? How are your feeling now?" he asked, letting go of her hand, somehow he felt a bit ashamed for doing that.

Dani still looked half asleep, but she opened her eyes more. Many expression passed on her face, first confusion, then shock, then happiness and... sadness?

"Danny!" she screamed and hugged him tight, almost pushing Danny to the floor. He just gasped, confused, but then a smile creeped to his lips.

"You saved me...," Dani said again into Danny's chest, the halfa male just chuckled a bit. He ruffled Dani's hair affectionally.

"Of course," he said with smile. Then Dani separated herself from him, her face was a little red then she smiled awkwardly.

"How did you save me?" asked Dani in amazement. Danny looked away, it was painful for him to look into those eyes, those eyes that looked at him like he was the most amazing person in the world.

"I brought you to my friend, you are lucky that he was able to treat you. Your body is more stable now, and you can age too," he said. Dani gasped in shock.

"Really? I can grow up now? Like you?" she asked, surprised but happy. Danny just nodded then Dani jumped and hugged him again.

"Thank you Danny, thank you so much," she said in happiness.

"No, no, I hardly did anything, it is Frostbite who you need to thank," he said, just chuckling at Dani's cheerfulness and energy.

He used to be like her once, he thought sadly.

But, Dani just burried deep into Danny's embrance. The way those small hands clung into Danny's jumpsuit made Danny feel awful. She had been through so much, she had been in pain. He couldn't believe he had let this little girl alone for years.

Danny hugged Dani's back, he just let the girl cling to him until shewas satisfied.

Once she got off from him, her eyes looked glassy. "Thank you," she said in a small tone, but with sincerity. Danny was too speechless to reply with anything, he was just able to nod.

It seemed, his life would change again, Danny thought to himself. But when he saw again those honest and sparking eyes, he reminded himself. It wouldn't be a bad change, he was sure about that.

IoI

"Hear what Frostbite said, you can't forced your self."

Dani nodded, she glanced at the snow ghost. It was her first time meeting Frostbite, he looked like a polar bear to her. Or yeti, but she didn't know what yeti looked like so she decide Frostbite was like a polar bear with horns. Well, if Danny befriended him then Dani could have belief in him too. She stared at the man who had rescued her countless times.

He had aged, again. He was taller now, twice as tall as her. He didn't have a muscular body, but she knew he had enough toned muscle from fighting ghosts everyday. His hair was a bit longer and messier than before. His voice was deep and low, but other than that he stayed same.

Except... those eyes...

They were neon green, since he was in his ghost from. They looked like lifeless eyes, the ones she saw from a corpse or ghost. Even though Danny was halfa, his neon green eyes weren't like this before. They had held spark, they had used toshow 'life' but...

Why were they so dull now?

It was almost scary, she didn't know if anyone had noticed those eyes. Sure, the shape, the color had remained same, but they looked so dull. When she stared intothem, they were empty and hollow. They had lost their life and innocence. Maybe it was a part of growing up into adult? No, even Vlad didn't have those dull eyes, Dani was sure.

"Earth to Dani, have you heard what I said?" Dani snapped back to earth, she saw Danny staring at her with a bit of an upset face. Oh, she must be spaced off when Danny explain something to her.

"Sorry, what is it?" she asked, grinning awkwardly. Danny just sighed, Frostbite just smiled at him.

"You can grow up now, Dani. And if you notice anything strange going on in your body, tell me fast. You can use your ghost power, but don't force yourself, do you understand?" he explained once again, Dani nodded. All these explanations were a bit confusing to her, like about how she could age, how her body would grow or how her body could contain her power.

She couldn't really understand but tried to remember every word. But about that 'don't force yourself' point, that would be hard for her. Her ghost power was the only thing that made her able to survive alone all this time. If she couldn't force her body, then...

"And one more thing, you will live with me."

Eh?

"What!?" Dani shouted, surprised for sure. Danny looked earnest, but she didn't believe it. She would be a burden to him. He had already too many problems in his life, she couldn't do that to him.

But, the little voice in her head sang happily. To think that Danny cared about her enough to ask her to live with him...

"And don't protest, if you go again, I will chase you even to other side of earth and drag you back, Dani. I'm serious," he added sternly.

He had matured, of course. The wimpy and coward boy had changed into reliable and tough man, he didn't give her any place to protest. He wasn't even asking, he was giving her an order.

"What are you? You can't force me!" said Dani a bit angry. The only person who used to order her around so much was Vlad and she didn't like him. So, she didn't like to get an order like that too. She was free, she wasn't tied to anything.

"I can," Danny said with voice held so much authoritative.

Yeah, Danny had changed so much. He used to let her go whenever she refused his offer.

"You can't," she said agan, angrily.

She was scared, it was nice that Danny offered her to stay with him. But, she knew, she would be a burden to him. He had enough, she was sure. And she didn't want to wear him out more than this. She was already troublesome enough, always coming back to him with new problems. He had done so much for her until she couldn't repay him enough. And she was just his clone. She hardly had any bond to him. He was just a nice guy who had severe hero complex.

"I could live by my own until now, I don't want to stay with you," she shouted again. She saw the impact on those words to Danny. The man gasped then looked away with hurt eyes.

Oh no, she didn't mean to hurt him. No, she liked him, no... she loved him, he was the only person in this world who cared about her. Who didn't see her as a clone.

"You really have my trait...," he murmured. Dani frowned, what was he talking about?

The little halfa was surprised when Danny approached her then carried her with only one arm. "You are coming with me, that's the final decision," he said. Dani couldn't believe it. He just forced her to live with him even if she didn't want to.

No, she wanted to, but... she couldn't...

"Sorry Frostbite, thanks for everything," Danny turned, ignoring Dani who struggled to break free from his hold.

"I can walk by myself, let me go," she shouted, struggling like a wild cat in Danny's arm.

"No, I had said it before. Don't force yourself, I can carry you to my place, regardless whether you like it or not," Danny said again sternly. Dani just sighed, she slumped in Danny's arm, with a frown on her face.

"Your welcome, Great One. And take care, you too, Little Great One," Frostbite turned to Dani. She gasped, her face was red. Little Great One? She was ready to protest. She knew she had a small body, but it didn't mean she wanted it like this.

"Yeah, Frostbite, see you next time," Danny said then took off from Frostbite's place. Dani knew Danny wouldn't drop her, but it was scary being carried only with one arm, so she clung onto Danny's arm, much to her embarrassment.

IoI

Danny had half expected it. He knew, Dani was similar to himself, so he understood pretty much how the little girl was thinking. He was being an ass, he knew. He could tell her sweet words, explain everything to her, but he didn't want to explain it in front of Frostbite.

Not that he didn't believe that snow ghost but...

It was hard for him to just show his weakness. And he couldn't say anything to Dani without showing his vulnurable side.

Dani was calm on the ride, she even clung to his arm. She knew that she could fly but she must have understood that she couldn't force herself. She just got healed too, her body had stabilized but still a bit weak and low on energy.

When they just passed the Fenton Works, Dani didn't ask Danny anything. They just went silently.

Danny glanced at the little girl who was busy staring at the ground. Maybe Dani didn't like him or even hated him. It was true, he was the one to blame for making her life miserable. Not even an idiot would just let a little girl as young as Dani travel around the world alone, no matter if she has ghost power or not. She was just a child. Maybe, she was just forced to ask help from Danny, but it didn't mean that she liked him.

He wanted to slap himself.

Well, if she didn't like him, she still needed a place to stay. His parents or Jazz would be his last choice if Dani didn't want to stay with him.

He saw the building of his apartment, then passed through like usual.

He let go of Dani, turned tangible again, then change into his human form.

"You live here? It looks like a closet."

Danny just rolled his eyes, he had heard that enough from Tucker.

"Well, it is my home, and yours too, like it or not," he said, feeling worn out and just wanted to sleep until morning. But, he had to settle things with this little girl first.

She was upset, he knew. In a way, he just kidnapped her.

He sighed. Danny sat on the edge of the bed, glancing at the little girl who just stood and folded her arms.

"You can't keep running away like that," he said. It caught Dani's attention, for seconds, she lost her angry expression then it came back.

"I can," she said. Danny just shook his head, she was sturbborn when she had decided something, pretty much like him.

"Maybe you can, but... you don't need to Dani. I know you are running away from Vlad, but I can protect you here, I promise he won't touch you. Don't you feel tired always running away like that?" Danny asked her.

Those sky colored eyes suddenly clouded, like in verge of tears. But, being stubborn like him, Dani refused to cry.

"I don't want to. I like traveling alone, it is fun. No one ordering you around, no one scolding you, I'm free," she said to him.

Oh, she couldn't fool him. Danny knew, she was in pain but she didn't want to burden him or anyone. She wanted to stay but knew she would just cause more problem.

Danny got up from his bed, then folded his legs so his eyes were level with Dani's. He stared into her eyes deeply. "I worry about you, Dani. It tore me apart to see your condition several days ago. You are thin, you hardly can take care yourself Dani," he said with sirence words.

Dani was at a loss for words, she just turned to the side. He touched her cheek lightly then turned her to face him.

"I care about you Dani. You deserve to be happy like other kids at your age," Danny said again. Dani refused to meet his eyes, she turned down.

"I'm just a clone," she whispered.

The male halfa was shocked to hear that. Well, that was the truth but the way Dani said it, it felt like she was just a thing, non-living thing.

Danny shook his head, he hugged the little halfa, surprising her. She felt so small in his arms. He wanted to beat himself so much, he let her suffer in pain too long. He was really an idiot.

"No Dani, you are precious to me. I don't careif you are a clone or what, to me you are a family. So, don't go away. Stay with me, please," he hugged her tighter.

He could hear a gasp, then silence. At first Dani just stayed rigid in his arms. But then, Dani's hands slowly clung to his cloths then her little frame started to shake. Next thing he knew, his shoulder felt wet. A little sob coming from the little girl and it came again and again. Danny patted Dani's back, lightly kissing her head.

"Danny...," she mumbled between her sobs. Danny just let the girl cry her eyes off, she was letting go of all her pain and sorrow which had been burried deep for all these years. It made him want to cry too, to think that someone as young as Dani had been through so much... it was unfair. She should be happy...

Danny closed his eyes.

Ironic, when he was sure he couldn't make himself happy but he would do anything to make this little girl happy.

IoI

_She was a clone, a false thing. _

_She never understood what the difference between her and other human__s was__._

_But, when Vlad had broken her heart into pieces, she understood that she was a false thing. A fake. Like a duplicate, but the duplicate never would be the real one._

_When she had beat Vlad for that, she felt a bit happy but itonly lasted a while._

_When she traveled around, she noticed how different __she was from the__ other kids around her age. _

_Not because she was a halfa. But, she felt so... false._

_She stared __at__ a little __girl who__was laughing__ and being caried by a middle age man, maybe her father. She was smiling so happily, something that Dani didn't understand. The little girl was caried on her father's shoulder, though the parent looked a bit embarrassed __at the __other people__'s__ attention, he just smiled warmly when the little girl laughed happily._

_She sighed but then her eyes saw a mother who held her son's chatted happily and Dani noticed how the mother __adjusted__ her walk to __her__ son's shorter legs. Then the boy pulled __his__ mother when he saw __an__ ice cream truck, the mother just laughed __at__ her son's antics._

_Dani just stared __at__ them._

_She felt so false..._

_Then she noticed..._

_She was alone._

_She was alone... no one held her hand, no one __carried__ her and no one __paid__ attention when she __fell__._

_She was a false after all, just a fake, a had no family, she had nothing..._

_But then, someone hugged her from behind. She was surprised but she could feel the warmth radiated to her little gentle hand stroked her hair softly. He whispered something to hear but she couldn't focus as tears fall from her eyes._

_She didn't know who but her heart told her..._

"_Daddy..."_

Dani gasped, she raised then opened her eyes, wait, since when did she sleep?

She was in a warm and comfy bed. What was that dream? It felt weird yet so warm and... Dani just shook her head. That wasn't important, it was just a dream.

Where was she? She examined herself. She wore a big shirt, like a make out for pajamas, where were her clothes? And her hair was loose too. She looked around, she was in a room, she didn't recognize where but...

This bed and shirt had familiar scent...

Then every memory that happened a few days ago crashed into her head. Oh that was right, she was crying in Danny's embrace last night, then she must have fallen asleep.

She searched for the other halfa presence, where was he? Even though the lamp was turned off, she could see well in the dark.

When she moved to the side of bed, she found the older halfa.

He was laying on the ground with his chest on the floor, if it wasn't for a little sound of breath from his nose, he would have looked like a corpse.

He slept on his sleeping bag, he didn't even try to get into it. It was just like he was too tired, then crashed on top of his sleeping bag, then passed out.

Was it comfortable to sleep like that? Dani knew how uncomfortable it was to sleep on the floor. But, Danny just had one bed in his apartment. It couldn't be helped.

It still looked uncomfortable though. Then Dani noticed a little cut on his cheek, it wasn't there before. Then... had he chased ghosts when she slept?

No wonder he looked so tired, even with that uncomfortable position, he was in deep sleep. But, it would be better to just sleep on his bed. Dani could sleep on the floor, she had worse before. However, knowing Danny, he wouldn't do that.

He was too nice... He could be a little selfish and sneaky when he wanted to, but most of the time, he was a really nice person. Dani had turned on him, attacked him, brought him trouble, but he still helped her no matter what. She didn't understand why he cared so much for her.

But, Danny was a hero, it should be his hero sense or something like that.

No, Danny didn't need to make her live with him. He had no reason to. She was already safe and okay.

He should know that she would bring more trouble to his life. Hadn't he had enough trouble? Hadn't she caused enough trouble?

She had the urge to run but remembered what Danny had said, he would chase her down if she ran. Though, she didn't know if he could catch her when even Vlad had a hard time tracking her down but she didn't want him to go through all the trouble just to retrive her back.

She sighed, it felt weird... Danny's attention to her... she wasn't used to something like this.

It felt warm and nice on her chest, but at the same time she felt guilty.

She stared at the older halfa, she got down from the bed quietly and stared down at him. At least, he should sleep on the bed.

She knew Danny and that polar bear ghost had warned her about using her power. But, just a little bit would be fine, right?

So, she let herself turn intangible then touched Danny and made him intangible like her. Then she pulled him on to bed, being intangible he weighed a feather. Then she made them tangible again, he fall to the bed a little but didn't wake up.

She wanted to slip into into the floor when Danny turned and grabbed her hand. She gasped but noticed that his eyes were still closed. She pulled her hand but Danny wouldn't let go of her. He might be mistaking her for a teddy bear or something, she thought.

She rolled her eyes then remember that she could just turn to intangible but...

This hand was warm. Danny gripped her strong but it didn't hurt. His large hand easily covered her little hand. His hand was rough and calloused, maybe because of fighting ghosts but he held Dani's hand gently.

It was so warm...

Dani erased the tears on the corner of her eye.

He had gripped her hand too in Frostbite's place, the warmth had woken her. It sounded strange though as Danny was a halfa so his temperature was a little colder than normal human. But still...

It was warm...

She remembered, he said that he cared about her, that he would protect her.

That she was a family for him...

But, wasn't she just a clone? A fake?

She didn't understand why, she still had the urge to run from this warmth and kindness but her body chose to surrender and she let herself lay down next to Danny.

Before falling asleep, she smiled a little. It was weird and she wasn't used to it but...

At least, she wasn't alone now.

Though she wondered a little before falling asleep...

Who she had called 'Daddy' in her dream?

**TBC**

* * *

**Aw, finally Dani ****is starting**** to look at Danny as her father though she doesn't notice it. And Danny is too young for that, but the obstacle is his problem, not his age. Being a hero is not easy, I believe. But Dani will find a way to crack Danny's shell and save his sanity. Just see it later.**

**Please review, review making me happy!**


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